“Our goal is to create a more comfortable environment for people who are interested in bicycling but concerned about safety,” said Kate Petak, who started this project last October as an intern for the Portland Bureau of Transportation, which is a close partner on this project. If it goes forward, the separated bike lane would extend along 13 blocks of SW 12th Avenue, from SW Market Street to SW Stark.

With funding from a Solutions Generator award through the Institute for Sustainable Solutions, the students pored over city plans and surveyed cyclists to determine the feasibility of the proposal that would better connect downtown bicycle routes. Other students working on the project are Rene Allen, Sirisha Kothuri, and Stefan Bussey.

Portland State’s Climate Action Plan calls for an increase in bicycle commuting to campus, but many riders are deterred by concerns about biking on the same roadway with cars.

The students hope their findings will take the new cycle track a step closer to implementation, encouraging more PSU students, faculty, and staff to commute to campus by bike.